STANTON, DE – The Delaware Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Delaware SPCA), the oldest and most experienced animal welfare organization in the state, formally opened the doors of the new Jane R. Haggard Spay/Neuter Clinic in Stanton, Delaware during a recent grand opening celebration.

The clinic, located at Delaware SPCA’s headquarters in Stanton, is Delaware’s first high-quality, high-volume, low-cost spay/neuter clinic. It will serve animals and their owners through both Delaware SPCA shelters (in Stanton and Georgetown), and has set a goal of sterilizing a total of 7,200 dogs and cats in the first year of the program – more than twice what it achieved in 2008.

During the last two years, reducing the rate of euthanasia has been a major goal of Delaware SPCA. In 2008, the Delaware SPCA reduced its euthanasia rate by 53%, and adopted a policy under which only animals with untreatable physical or behavioral problems are euthanized.

“This state-of-the-art clinic will allow us to more than double our spay and neuter services annually, which will keep thousands, of unwanted cats and dogs from being born each year,” said Willard G. Crichton, president of the Society’s Board of Directors. “This clinic began as a dream to apply spay and neuter procedures as an alternative to euthanasia in order to help control the growing population of animals in our state, and our goal is to be the leading provider of these services throughout Delaware.”

At the event, the clinic was formally named with a plaque unveiling by Mr. Crichton.

“When it came time for the Delaware SPCA to name this new clinic, the person chosen to be honored was an easy choice,” said Mr. Crichton. “Jane Haggard has been affiliated with the Delaware SPCA for more than half a century. She has been a member of the board of directors, a staunch supporter of animal welfare, a fundraiser and an ambassador for the SPCA throughout the state. It is with great pleasure and pride that I announce tonight that this facility is named in Jane’s honor.”

The opening was then concluded with an “Unleashing” ceremony (replacing a traditional ribbon cutting) at the new Clinic’s front doors.

The establishment of the Delaware SPCA Jane R. Haggard Spay/Neuter Clinic was made possible through several grants, including support from PetSmart Charities and the Longwood, Welfare, and Crystal Foundations, as well as board members, staff and many individuals in the community who recognize the critical role of spay/neuter in controlling pet overpopulation.

Earlier this year, the Delaware SPCA was accepted into Humane Alliance’s National Spay/Neuter Response Team (NSNRT) Training Program, designed specifically by Humane Alliance to address the national “epidemic” of euthanasia. Training sessions are being held both at the NSNRT facility (a 13,000 square foot training academy which houses a spay/neuter clinic with the capacity to sterilize 250 cats and dogs daily – seven times the clinic average nationally) and at the Haggard Clinic.

The Delaware SPCA team will travel to Asheville, NC next week to experience first-hand how to deliver high-quality, high-volume surgical sterilizations quickly and safely. The training will then move to the Stanton clinic for two weeks, with a Humane Alliance veterinarian and veterinary technician providing the on-site guidance necessary to operate a self-sustaining, high-volume, high-quality, spay/neuter clinic.

For more information about the Delaware SPCA, please contact Anne Cavanaugh, Executive Director, at 302/998-2281.